Life saving device



Sept.' 22, l931.` G. F. DILLow LIFE SAVING DEVICE Filed April 19, 192s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lll) Gfgg WR//ow 2% ATTORNEY Sept', 22, 1931. G. F DlLLow LIFE sAvINGDEvIcE Filed April 19, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In lrll.. M

ATTORN EY Patented Sept. 22, 1931 PATENT (")FFICEy GEORGE r. nILLoW; or-sEATrLE. wasHilvezronL Lira sAvNG ,DEVICE Application med 'April i9,

`rlhe invention is a naval lifesaving device in which a person may be confined or confine himself so that he may be dropped or placed into the water without exposing his anatomy I5-and which is adaptable vto removegmen from submarines below the surface of the water. The object of the invention is to provide a life saving device which will absolutely" l mounted, means for protect a person therein and make it possi- 10 ble for the person to live until rescued.

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Another vobject of the invention is to provide a device for removing men 'from sunken submarines. Y

Anotherobject of the invention is to .providea life saving device which may readily be launched. i' V Another object of the invention is to provide a life saving device in which the Occu-V pants may exist for several days. 4 20' Another object of the inventionris to provide a life saving device that may be placed on the side of la vessel and readily launched by the occupant confined therein.

Another object `of the invention is to provide'a lifesaving device in which a person may be confined and which may be provided with signalling'or communicating devices. v

Another object of the invention is-to provide a life savingr device for submarines which is provided with means for communi` eating with men remaining in the submarine after it has reached the-surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. life saving device in which provisionsv maybe carried. l

A further object of the inventiony is to prov ide a life saving device for submarines' which is provided with means by which 1an ,occupant thereof may change thefair supply in the submarine with thesubmarine located at the bottom ofthe sea.I A s A still further object'of theinvention is -toA provide a life saving device for sunken submarines which may readily be launched vwithout endangering the :men remaining m the submarine. l i i.

vAnd a still further object'ofthe rinvention is to provide a life savingv device in which `a lperson may be conlined and yprotected until i in FigureB.

' sunken submarine. i

192s.y serial No. 271,243.

rescued, which is `of a comparatively simple' and economical construction.

With these ends in view the invention embodies a tubular `container withA conical shaped kends, means for opening and closing the container on the interior, communicating means between the interior 4and exterior, means in which the said device may be releasing the said device, and suitable communicating and Aoperating apparatus within the said'device,

Other features and advantages'of the invention Will appear from the following de# scription, taken in 'connection withthe drawings, wherein: 1 i

Figure 1 is a cross section through the device showing it installed in a compartment in a submarine.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the locking means of a closure vof the said device and which isalso adaptable to lock the closure of.

'the' compartment in the submarinel and the openings therein.

Figure 3 is a view showing a battery of the said devices mounted on a ship. Y

Figure 4 is a planview ofthe device shown F igure isa side view of the device shown in Figure 13.

Figure 6 is a view showing an alternate arrangementin which the device may be mounted independently.

Figure 7 is a View showing one of the devices at the surface of the water above a -In the drawings the device isv shown as it would be made wherein numeral l indicates the container, numeral 2 a compartment in a submarine, and numeral 3 a pivotally mounted frame in which the saidl devices may be mounted on the-side of a ship. The container -lmay be of any suitable design and of any suitable size andmay be made to carry any -number of occupants desired. In the design shown the device is made of a cylindrical casing which is referred to by the numeral 1 vhaving a conical shaped end 4 at thebottom anda similarly shaped closure 5 at the top. It is also understood that the ends may be of any suitable design and arranged in any suitable manner and the opening covered by the closure 5 may be placed in any suitable part of the device. At the lower end of the cylinder 1 is a horizontal partition 6 forming a floor and the space below the floor may be filled with a substantially heavy material as indicated by the numeral 7 to counter-weight the device to hold it in an upright position so that when the device is placed in the water it will stand vertically with the upper portion thereof protruding above the surface of the water. At the upper end of the device is a conical shaped coil spring 8 which extends upward to hold the upper end 9 of a hose 10 which extends into the interior of thedevice through a water tight connection 11 in the closure 5 and the inner end of the hose is provided with a valve 12 so that the occupant mayopen the valve to admit fresh air. An-

fothersimilar hose may be used with the hose 10 to provide an exhaust for foul air within the device. The spring 8 may also support an electric light as indicated by the numeral 13 which may be connected by wires 14 to an `electric switch 15 on the interior of the container and also to a battery 16 that may be located in the base so that the device may be provided with a light at night which may be turned on or oi' bythe occupant.

ed with a step joint as shown and is held in the closed position by bar s 17 slidably mount'- ed on the face of the closure and operated by racks 18 from a gear 19 which may be rotated by ahand wheel 2O as shown. rfhe outer ends of the bars 17 may be forced into notches 21 in the sides of the container and the notches and ends of the bars may be provided with sloping sides as shown so that the closure may be wedged closed. The closure will normally remain in the open or free position vso that it may readily be opened and after the occupant is in the container he may draw the closure closed and lock it with the wheel 20.- The closure may also be providedl with a handle 22 which will extend through the side thereof and operate the locking bars17 from the outside through the bevel gears as shown. l The container may also be provided with a compartment in which suitable provisions may be placed, a pump 23 which may be connected tothe air hose so that air may be pumped into the device and a radio as indicated by the numeral 24 which may be connected to the battery 16 and to an antenna 25 through `wires 26. A porthole as' indicated by the numeral 27 may be positionedin the side of the container to form a window therein and Which may also be used as a door or means through which an occupant may be rescued by breaking the glass, should the occupant become unable to open the closure at the top.

The device as hereinbefore described forms a complete unit that may beplaced upon the side of a vessel as shown in Figures to 6 through which In the design shown the closure v5 is providinclusive or in a submarine as shown in Figure 1. Where an individual unit as described is provided for each man in the submarine it is not necessary to provide additional equipment, however as in some cases it may be found desirable to use only one of the devices in a submarine in which case it would be necessary to provide the device with additional equipment as hereinafter described.

For submarines the device may also be provided with a telephone as indicated by the numeral 23 and this may be connected by suitable wires 29 through a hose coil as indicated by the numeral 30 to a similar instrument as indicated by the numeral 31 on the interior of the submarine so that after the device has risen to the surface as shown in Figure 7 the occupant thereof may communicate with men remaining in the submarine. In this design the air pump 23 is also connected by a hose 32 which may extend through a water tight connection 33 in the bottom of the device and through the hose coil as indicated by the numeral 30 to the interior of the submarine. Another hose as indicated by the numeral 34 may also pass from a point in the upper part of the submarine out through the water tight connection 35 the hose 32 also passes, through thecoil 3Q, the connection 33, and upward through the container 1 and through the connection 11 so that as fresh air is pumped into the lower part of the submarine the foul air therein may pass out through this hose. This hose may be provided with a valve 36 so that it may be closed when not in use. The hose 34 and also the hose 32 may be provided with valves 37 in the lower part of the container 1 which provide means for closing the hose should they become broken between the container 1 and the submarine. It is also understood that the hose connections 32 and 34 between the device and the submarine may be replaced by a cable if desired so that the device may be used as a buoy to indicate the position of the submarine.

In the design shown the device as indicated by the numeral 1 is positioned in a tubular compartment 2 which may be located in a submarine at any suitable point or which may be arranged in any suitable manner. The compartment 2 is constructed and provided in such a manner that it may be positively sealed tothe interior of the submarine and opened tothe sea so that the water pressure therein may be equalized with that of the sea before the closure at the top thereof is opened and then when the closure is opened the container 1 may pass out into the sea. The invention therefore embodies the principle of locks in a canal as it may be first opened tothe pressure within the submarine and then closed to the pressure within the submarine and opened to the pressure of the sea before it is actually opened to the sea.

. The compartment 2 may be of any suitable shape or design to accommodate a container of any suitable shape or design. In the design` 1Q jbars may be operated as shown in Figure 2.

The closure 38 is hinged at the point 40 and the upperside thereof is provided with a lug 4l through which it is connected to a bar 42 through a linl-z 43. The bar 42 extends into a lcasing 44 and is provided With a head 45 which engages one end of a spring 46 that rests against one end of the housing 44 and it Will be observed that with the closure 38 unlocked by the hand Wheel and With the ZG-pressure in the compartment 2 equal to that on the outside the spring 46 Will open the closure 38 and resiliently hold it inthe open position until it is manually closed. The housing 44 may be pivotally mounted on a z`base 47 through a connection 48 as shown.

The housing 44'is essentially positioned on the exterior of the submarine, however, it is understood that it may be provided With any suitable inclosure.

The compartment 2 may be provided With a porthole as indicated bythe numeral 49 and this may be provided with a closure 50 Which may be provided With` locking means' asshoivn in Figure 2 and arranged so that aithe closure may be opened from either the interior of the submarine or compartment 2. This may be accomplished by placing one of the hand Wheels 2001i each side of the closure as shown. rPhe opposite side Zof the compartment 2 may be provided with a recess as indicated by the numeral 5l into Which the closure 5 on top of the container l and the spring 8 may pass as the closure 5 is opened. The closure 5 which is pivotally attached to the container l by a hinge 52 may remain normally in the open position and suitable means may be provided for holding it open. In the lower part of the compartment 2 are suitable projections 53 upon Which the container l may rest asshovvn, and below these projections is a space as indicated by the numeral. 54 in Which the coil of hose as indicated by the numeral 30 may be placed. Y

A pipe connection as indicated by the numeral 55 may be made between the outer surface of the submarine and interior of the compartment 2 and this connection may be provided with a valve 56 that may be op- 65v from the inierior of the compartment l2 or erated from the interior of the compartment from the interior of the submarine. The interior of the submarine may be provided with a ladder as indicated by the numeral 58 or any other. suitable means to provide access to the opening 49.

The closure 38 at theouter end of the compartmentl 2 is normallyr in the closed position andthe container l is normally open so that the entire space occupied by the device may normally be used for air storage for the submarine Vso that the device does not occupy useful space Within the submarine.

The device may also be used in place of the common type of life preservers or life boats on a ship and for this use the device may be held so that after a person has been placed inside it may readily be launched into the sea, For this use the device may be held in a frame 3 as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5 and in which the frame is constructed with an upper horizontal member 60 Vand a lower horizontal member 61 which are connected by vertical members 62 and 63 and the vertical members are pivotally mounted on a shaft 64` The shaft 64 is mounted in bearings 65' on uprights of the ship which are indicated by the numeral 66, and one end of this shaft may be provided with a gear 67 which meshes with a pinion 68 on a shaft 69 andthe shaft 69 is piovidedwith a crank 70 by which it may be rotated. It Will therefore be observed that the gears may be rotated by the crank and as they are rotated they will turn the shaft 64 which will swing the frame 3 to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 so that the device l may be swung to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 before it is released. A ratchet 70 may be provided on the gear 67 to lock the device in the vertical position shown in full lines. The horizontal members 60 and 6l are provided With blocks 7l againstu which the device may be clamped as shown. ln-

ers l and the inner ends of the yolres are provided With buttons 77 Which are held in vedge shaped jaws 78 on a rod 79 as shown. The rod 79 is slidably held to the vertical members 66 of the ship and one end of the rod is attached to a lever 80 by which it may he movedbaclvvard or foruf'ard. The rod 7 9 may be provided With anotch 8l in which a latch 82 on the vertical members 66 as shown in Figure 4 maybe placed to hold the rod 79 in the position shown With the members 78 holding the buttons 77 of the yokes 76 and thereby clamping thev containers l against the blocks 7l. lV hen the containers l. have been filled and sealed the latch 82 may be released and the lever 80 moved to- :sal

Aof a vessel:

ure 6 1s provided without the spring 8 at the ward the vertical member 66 so that the aws 78 will release the buttons 77 and permit the containers 1 to swing outward with the rods 7 t carrying them outward so that they will positively clear the side of the vessel. It will be observed that as the rods 74 pass beyond the center, the pins 72 will pass out of the ends and permit the containers 1 to drop into the water. Then mounting the devices it will be seen that the pins 72 may be placed intothe ends of the members 7 f1 and the buttons ofthe yokes 76 vcaught behind the jaws 78 so that as the rod 79 is moved by the lever` 80 the members 1 will be clamped against the blocks 71 so that they will be rigidly held until it is desired to use them.

In the design shown in Figure 6 the container 1 is mounted in an inclined position against the rests 83 and 84 with the pins 72 resting upon the rods 74 as shown and the rods 74 held by yokes 85 and the central portion of the yoke held upon a screw 86 that may be rotated by a hand wheel 87 on the interior of the container 1. The screw is threaded into a block 88 on the side of the ship yand it will be observed that as the wheel 87 is rotated the screw 86 may be unscrewed from the block 88 which will release the upper end of the yoke and permit the device to slide downward. When mounting the device in the position shown the inner end of the yoke 85 may be placed upon the screw. 86 and the screw screwed into the block 88 and it will be observed that as the screw is screwed inward it will clamp the container 1 against the blocks 83 and 84. It will be understood that any other suitable means may be used for mounting the containers 1 individually or in groups upon the side or deck The container shown in Figtop and the upper end is provided with windows 89 in which lamps 9() may be placed.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention. One of which changes may be in the use'of a container or any other type or design, another may be in the use of any other suitable means for mounting the container on the side of a ship or a vessel or in a submarine, and another may be in the use of any other suitable indicating or communicating devices in the said container.

The construction will be readily understood from the foregoing description. In use the device may be provided as shown and mounted or positioned upon a ship or in a submarine as shown or in any other suitable manner. When it is desired to use the device the containers may be opened and persons placed therein and the devices launched or dropped into the water as hereinbefore described. It will be understood that although t-he devices are placed in the water individually and not connected they will practically fioat in groups as each will have the same resistance to tide and weather, however the containers may be providedvwith rings 91 so that they may be tied together-in groups with any suitable means.

`When used in a submarine the device may be moved upward to the surface of the water as shown in Figure 7 with a hose or cable extending from theflower end of the device to the submarine thereby providing communicating means or means for supplying fresh air to the men in the submarine. It is understood however that for submarine use the device may be provided without the hose or cable in which case each container will rise to the surface and float independent of the submarine. The submarine mayv also be provided with a pump or air compressor' as indicated by the numeral 92 so that a pressure may be maintained in the container and hose. rIhe compressor 92 may be omitted and the hose connected to any suitable air pressure apparatus on the submarine if desired.

lHaving thus fully described'the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a life saving device of the type having a hollow cylinder extending downward into a submarine from the deck thereof with a cylindrical container therein by which an occupant of the submarine may escape therefrom and in which the cover of the container may be opened, said hollow cylinder having a recess in one side into which the said cover may be opened and an opening in the opposite side providing ingress and egress to and from said container from the upper end thereof, a port hole cover for said opening, a mast formed by a coil spring on top of said cover, a light at the upper end of said mast.r a window in the side of said container, and a valve operable from the interior of the hollow cylinder by the Voccupant of said container with the cover open for admitting sea water tothe hollow cylinder to release said container.

2. In a life saving device of the type having a hollow cylinder extending downward into a submarine from the deck thereof with a closure at the upper end thereof adapted to Vopen when released when the pressure of water in the cylinder is the same as that of the sea water and a container in the hollow cylinder into which an occupant of the submarine may climb to escape therefrom and in which the said container is provided with communicative devices with the submarine, signal devices.y and air changing devices, and in which said hollow cylinder is provided with a pipe connection to the exterior of the submarine, and the container with a hinged closure at the upper end thereof, said hollow cylinder having a recess to accommodate said hinged closure in the open position and an opening in the side thereof permitting'ingress to said container, a window in said container, and a valve in the said pipe connection to the exterior operable from the interior of the hollow cylinder by the occupant of said container through the upper end thereof with the cover in the open position to release said container.

3. In a life saving device of the type where a hollow cylinder extends downward into a submarine from the deck thereof and Contains a casing with a closure at the top of the casing and another at the top of the hollow cylinder and in which a pipe connection with a valve therein is provided from said hollow cylinder to the exterior of the submarine for equalizing the pressure in said hollow cylinder with that of the sea water, an auxiliary compartment in the side of said hollow cylinder permitting the cover of said casing to open while therein, said hollow cylinder having an opening with a closure at the upper end providing passage from the interior of the submarine into the upper end of the casing, and means extending' from the valve in the said pipe connection into the auxiliary compartment of said hollow cylinder whereby an occupant of said casing may open said valve to release the casing by reaching through the upper end of the casing before the closure is secured in position for closing said casing.

GEORGE F. DILLOW. 

